Books published by publisher Picklefish Press

"I don't like to eat ants," said Anteater One. "They don't taste very good, and they tickle my tongue..."Anteater One is one adventurous eater. He'll try anything - a grilled cheese sandwich, a nice salad, or a chocolate cake - but he's eaten his last ant. Anteater Two only wants ants to eat. Anteater Three has the perfect solution: a reservation at his world-famous Peanut Butter & Jelly Deli, where the anteaters can discuss the very important question of what to eat for lunch. Sabine Mielke's beautiful, stylized illustrations accompany JTK Belle's rhyming, laugh-out-loud text, in this charming, relatable, story with a timeless message about the importance of trying new things. [Recommended for ages 2-6]

Mackenzie Day constantly struggles to silence the voices in her head. The inner thoughts of those around her intrude upon every aspect of her life, threatening to turn it into chaos. All her life, she thought she was alone as a mind reader—a freak.Then a member of a secret organization called The Unseen suddenly introduces himself, and she’s immersed in a world she never knew existed. They teach her to hone her skills as a reader, but to what end? Secrets surround her, humming just out of reach, filling her with questions.Who are they? What do they do with their mind-reading abilities? In the end, just how far will Mackenzie go to be part of The Unseen?

Kids love animals. And what child doesn’t love a good game of hide-and-go-seek? But who is the world’s very best player of hide-and-go-seek? Why, Freed the Cheetah, of course. Freeda the Cheetah of Mozambique. Freeda the Cheetah is a delightful children’s picture book starring Freeda, that most elusive of cheetahs, who “runs like the wind and walks like the breeze”. As the elephant covers his eyes with his trunk and counts to a hundred, the animals of the savanna scatter in every direction. He finds every one of them, from the hippo in the muddy water to the monkeys behind the bananas. But he just can’t find that unfindable cheetah. Soon all the other animals join in on the search - even the lion and the blue wildebeests – as the colors of the savanna begin to fade into the evening. Will they find her before bed time?“She had stripes on her face and spots all around. And when she would hide, she could never be found!”Beautifully-illustrated, with mesmerizing scenes of the African savanna, the richly colored pages of this wonderful little animal tale are coupled with a charming and whimsical rhyming text. Kids will love joining the animals in the search for the crafty Freeda, who "runs like the wind and walks like the breeze.""No one knows where she hides, but they know where she doesn't – because the places they looked were the places she wasn't."A perfect read-aloud for the end of the day, children will delight in this singsong story of Freeda the Cheetah from Mozambique, the world’s very best player of hide-and-go-seek. (Ages 0-5. Includes a map of Africa in the end paper for an early geography lesson.

"Tommy O'Tom was taking a bath, when in walked a hippo and then a giraffe..." In this charming bedtime read-aloud, a bathtub full of mischievous zoo animals does their best to thwart Tommy O'Tom's bedtime preparations, and leave him to explain a bathroom mess to his puzzled mother. Written by JTK Belle in a laugh-out-loud, rhythmic text, and beautifully-illustrated by Mike Motz. (Recommended for ages 2-5.)

Who is the world's best player of hide-and-go-seek? Freeda the Cheetah from Mozambique!Kids love animals. And what child doesn't love a good game of hide-and-go-seek? But who is the world's very best player of hide-and-go-seek? Why, Freed the Cheetah, of course. Freeda the Cheetah of Mozambique.Freeda the Cheetah is a delightful children's picture book starring Freeda, the most elusive animal of all.As the elephant covers his eyes with his trunk and counts to a hundred, the animals of the savanna scatter in every direction. Elephant finds every one of them, from the hippo in the muddy water to the monkeys behind the bananas. But he just can't find that unfindable cheetah. Soon all the other animals join in on the search - even the lion and the blue wildebeests - as the colors of the savanna begin to fade into the evening. Will they find her before bedtime?"She had stripes on her face and spots all around. And when she would hide, she could never be found..."Beautifully-illustrated, with mesmerizing scenes of the African savanna, the richly colored pages of this wonderful little animal tale are coupled with a charming and whimsical rhyming text. Kids will love joining the animals in the search for the crafty Freeda, who "runs like the wind and walks like the breeze.""No one knows where she hides, but they know where she doesn't - because the places they looked were the places she wasn't!" A perfect read-aloud for the end of the day, children will delight in this singsong story of Freeda the Cheetah from Mozambique, the world's very best player of hide-and-go-seek. (Ages 0-6. Includes a map of Africa in the end paper for an early geography lesson.)

"Tommy O'Tom was taking a bath, when in walked a hippo and then a giraffe..." In this charming bedtime read-aloud, written by JTK Belle in a laugh out-loud, rhythmic text, and beautifully-illustrated by Mike Motz, a bathtub full of mischievous zoo animals does their best to thwart Tommy O'Tom's bedtime preparations, and leave him to explain a bathroom mess to his puzzled mother. Recommended for ages 2-5.

Welcome to Anteater Three's world-famous Peanut Butter & Jelly Deli!Anteater One is one adventurous eater. He'll try anything - a grilled cheese sandwich, a nice salad, or a chocolate cake - but he's eaten his last ant. Anteater Two only wants ants to eat. Anteater Three has the perfect solution: a reservation at his world-famous Peanut Butter & Jelly Deli, where the anteaters can discuss the very important question of what to eat for lunch.Sabine Mielke's beautiful, stylized illustrations accompany JTK Belle's rhyming, laugh-out-loud text, in this charming, relatable, story. A perfect read-aloud for picky-eaters and adventurous eaters alike. [Recommended for ages 2-6]

"Hay for the horses, corn for the cows, grass for the sheep, and slop for the sows!"It's time for breakfast in the barnyard, and all the animals on the farm have their own favorite foods. So what's on the menu? Join two hilarious mice on a tour of the countryside, as they scout for cheese and visit their friends - from the bark-loving porcupine, to the carrot-loving rabbit, to the goat who will eat anything at all - and finally make their way to the great animal picnic. JTK Belle's charming, rhyming text - which ends in a song sung by the fiddle-playing mice - is accompanied by Mike Motz's beautiful, stylized illustrations. Breakfast in the Barnyard is perfect for the youngest of listeners, while older siblings will be tickled to read it aloud and sing along. [Recommended for ages 0-5]

Mackenzie Day is reeling from the death of her best friend, Maddie. She’s lost her rock, her partner in crime, and her only family in one fell swoop. With that loss, Mac has lost track of herself, and the things she cares about, including her mind-reading abilities. When the opportunity for vengeance arises, she becomes so blinded by her hatred that she no longer recognizes the person she’s become. As her empathy toward others slips away, even she can’t believe how far she is willing to go to claim justice for Maddie. Without her moral compass and her sense of self, how can she possibly stop a group of mind-reading terrorists from killing tens of thousands of people? Can she see past her anger to care about anything besides retribution? How can she save her newfound family, when she can’t even tell the difference between herself and those who are truly unforgiven?

When she shifted the gears, the weather would change! Katherine's bike is one-of-a-kind. Spinning the handles around on their bars, while ringing the bell will bring out the stars. Lifting the seat will hoist up the moon, and the tires will fill up like hot air balloons. Around the neighborhood and into the skies above, Katherine's first bike takes her on a magical adventure, through all kinds of weather. Beautifully-illustrated, with a whimsical, rhyming text, Katherine's Bike is a perfect read-aloud for the end of the day. (Recommended for ages 2-5.)

The world's greatest matador vs. the unkillable bull of Tlaxcala. A love story. (From the archives of McSweeney's Quarterly #39)In this lyrical and haunting tale, set in Mexico City and environs, Hernando, the greatest matador of La Fiesta Brava, confronts Carlos, the impossibly large bull. Their series of fights, dubbed 'The Spectacle Without End', draws them together through an endless series of stalemates. Bound by fate in a never-ending corrida, Hernando seeks only redemption, while Carlos seeks only his elusive querencia. In turns comic and tragic, that which ties these adversaries together grows ever faster, as each lives to fight another day, and another, and another.Like a Ferdinand for grown-ups, J.T.K. Belle's stunning debut novella, Carlos The Impossible, is a sort of love story: part tall tale, part sad, sly amusement, and part subtle, comic fable - all rolled together in the narrowing distance between a man and a bull.

"Hay for the horses, corn for the cows, grass for the sheep, and slop for the sows!"It's time for breakfast in the barnyard, and all the animals on the farm have their own favorite foods. So what's on the menu? Join two hilarious mice on a tour of the countryside, as they scout for cheese and visit their friends - from the bark-eating porcupine, to the carrot-loving rabbit, to the goat who will eat anything at all - and finally make their way to the great animal picnic. JTK Belle's charming, rhyming text - which ends in a song sung by the fiddle-playing mice - is accompanied by Mike Motz's beautiful, stylized illustrations. Breakfast in the Barnyard is perfect for the youngest of listeners, while older siblings will be tickled to read it aloud and sing along. [Recommended for ages 0-5]